New "Law of Transparency and Access to Information" becomes effective

SANTIAGO.- How much does a minister make?  Who is the senator that travels most often abroad? What organization did Codelco or another state-owned company sign an agreement with? The answers to these and other questions are now available on the internet home pages of all government entities as the “Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information” becomes effective today.

The new regulation requires the Executive Branch and public companies to make their management data available to citizens.  Such information includes the salaries of all public officials and assistants to authorities, as well as details regarding contracts signed in the State’s name.

The law also establishes that other organizations, such as municipalities, both Chambers of Congress, the Comptroller’s Office, the Judicial Branch and the Armed Forces, among others, must make their operations transparent.

The law shall operate in two ways through what has been named “active transparency” and “passive transparency”.